Ride SaddleSore 1K from ATL to TAMPA or ORLANDO and back?

gunsmoker

gunsmoker

Joined
Oct 16, 2024
Messages
212
Location
Cumming, Georgia USA
Bike
2007 ST-1300
2025 Miles
001640
If the weather is good for the week of March 31 thru April 4th, I'm thinking about riding from the Atlanta, GA area to either Orlando or Tampa, FL,
meet my cousin for a meal, and then ride right back home. Should be near to 1000 miles; I'll do the exact map-work later to make sure I run at least 1050 or something similar to give me a margin of error.

I've done a few 650 mile days on motorcycles before, and a few 950 mile trips in a car. Hundreds of 600-mile days in 18 wheel rigs.
But now I want to join the IBA and the SS1000 looks do-able, and I like the idea of an 'out-and-back' trip that puts me back home and sleeping in my own bed afterward.

Does anybody else want to do this, or part of this route, with me?
 
gunsmoker said:
Does anybody else want to do this, or part of this route, with me?
Click to expand...
No. I did mine on a 34 hp Suzuki Burgman 400 scooter. It had no problems with the trip. But I've never felt the need to repeat it. I have the license plate...that's similar to saying "I have the t-shirt". Doing it 5 times gets me nothing more than the one time I did it.

Personally, I'd use the trip to go see your cousin, then leave heading west. I headed east towards Montana from Seattle and had the pleasure of having the sun in my eyes on both legs of the trip.

Remember, this is not so much a test of your bike, as it is a test of you and your planning.

Chris
 
gunsmoker said:
But now I want to join the IBA and the SS1000 looks do-able,
Click to expand...
It’s very doable, the first one is the hardest because you don’t know what to expect. It will be easier and harder than you think in different ways. Worst vice being advice;

Knowing what I know, “practice“ with the stopping and logging of gas receipts. Using the spotwalla app is encouraged. It will track you and allow the uploading of receipt pictures, making submission a breeze.

Leaving at night so your return journey is in the daytime may add some confidence late in the ride. Taking a nap just after a late small brunch should help with your mental and physical state. Staying hydrated! Small snacks at the gas stops. If you’re on the ST, 200 miles between stops works well. Starting at night lets you “bank” some time, there are less vehicles on the road so you can make better time. It’s not how fast you ride, it’s how fast you stop. 10 minutes is fairly normal.

Stop at planned gas stations (confirm they are open before leaving), fill and empty fluids, fumble with tech to log the receipt while eating a snack. Mount, pull away from pump, stop and look back for the glove you dropped. Back on the highway for another 200. If you average 60mph, 500 miles is 8.5 hours. Two stops your at 9 hours, plenty of time left, very doable. Best of luck.
 
I'm 99% sure both you and the bike can complete a 1,000 mile ride. Probably in under 15 hours easily. The best way to add issues to that is:

1. meet someone for a meal in the middle of your ride. If you're early then you sit and wait instead of just ride. Just go ride.

2. ask someone else to meet up and ride with you. If you're early then you sit and wait instead of just ride. If you've never rode with them you have no idea if they ride the same as you as in they are faster or slower.

If you want to do a 1,000 mile ride my favorite method is to get up an hour or 2 early (I don't stay up all night well) and just go ride until you're done. Pretty easy to ride 1,000 in 15 hours if it's on an interstate without traffic holdups. Near Orlando or Tampa traffic can be pretty bad if you're trying to "just ride".

Shell, 387 Hill St SE, Atlanta, GA 30312 to Exxon, 985 US-80, Calhoun, LA 71225 511 miles, turn around and ride home. 1023 miles under 15 hours per Google. most of my long rides like this are done at 75 mph. 75 mph nowdays on the Intestate will have semi's riding your rear fender all day long. 80 will be more near normal.

Want to join the SS1000 club, just go ride all day on a good interstate.
 
I can possibly meet you for a portion of the SS1000. My free advice is to focus on Orlando or near by as the half way point. Stay away from southwest FL. It's 484 miles from Cumming to Lake Conway FL (sort of middle of Orlando mega metro) so you could easily plan on 500+ out and back. On my SS1K rides I generally leave in the 3-4 AM time. I'm a lark and that's not really getting up too early for me and I get home well before my bed time.

The timing is during prime snowbird return home season from Florida and NB traffic on I-95, I-75 and the Turnpike could get ugly in a moment. The further you are away from south Florida the better in my experience.
 
The time sucks are at stops, as mentioned.
Stop, eat and pee and fuel (same stop when you can), don't dawdle at the fuel stops. Record the miles, put the receipt with all the others like in an envelope or small pouch, pictures are now acceptable too, I think.
If you feel fatiqued later on, not wise to push it. Even in the IBR, safety is paramount.
With the right attitude, and proper planning, you'll likely have success.
My first-ever SS1K was with a close friend and riding buddy, but we were similar riding styles, skill, and personality. We rode it from Birmingham to Daytona and back in 19 hours, due to heavy fog across several miles of I-10 coming home.
The first one is (usually) fun.
If you haven't seen this, here's the collective wisdom of the Iron Butt Association:

IBA 25 Long-Distance Riding Tips

And best of luck! With safety.
 
I could turn around in Florida a little bit north of Orlando and considerably north from Tampa , but then I would have to swing wide (either east or west) for this round trip to equal 1000 miles.

If I turned east at OCALA,

It looks like I could cross over to DAYTONA on a surface road,

and then get on I-95 going north.
Pass thru JACKSONVILLE.

From there go to SAVANNAH, GA
then turn west/ northwest at I-16 and ride back to Atlanta that way.

By the time I get to my home almost an hour north of Atlanta, I'd be at 1000 miles. .IMG_1549.jpeg
 
One mistake it is easy to get caught in, is not managing your stops. It's easy to go do 100 mph and count on your radar detector to avoid a ticket. It's also stupid. You can easily do this ride averaging 55mph.

10 minute gas stops are almost impossible to make, unless you are really really focused on the task at hand. Before you know it, you're at 20 minutes for the stop. Do you keep track of your gas mileage? Generally, faster speeds equal loss of range, which leads to more stops.

Chris
 
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